Fragility
by Shaz1
Summary: Thanks for all your reviews, Chapter 12 is up!!!
1. Chapter One

Title: Fragility Author: Sharron Ibbitson Rating: PG-13 Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters you recognize, although I would like to keep Jesse, for just a little while!!  
  
This is my first Diagnosis Murder story, so please take it easy on me. I'd also like to point out that I am from England so some of the Americanisms may be slightly out, but I've tried my best. I generally write Due South and X-Files fics, but since DM is so fantastic and the characters so lovely I thought I'd try my hand at a fiction to see what sort of response it got. Feedback very much appreciated, but please be constructive!!! Thank you!  
Fragility  
Dr Jesse Travis stepped back from the young girl and sighed deeply.  
  
"Time of death 3.15pm" he declared sadly, as he pulled his surgical gloves off and threw them in the waste bin. It was the end of a sixteen hour long shift, and he was exhausted. He had had a very bad day, and this had made things even worse. Sometimes he got so sick of always having to break bad news to people, sometimes he just wished he had some good news to share. He sighed again and quietly asked the nurse to clean the young girl up, as he made his way to the distraught parent.  
  
Mark Sloane strolled along the corridor of Community General Hospital with a grin on his face. He was having an excellent day, and that evening he was having dinner at his beach house with his son and his two best friends. Jesse and Amanda really did mean the World to him. He shook his head and smiled to himself. Jesse felt like a son to him, he was so fond of the young doctor, and he knew that Steve thought of the younger man as a little brother. Yes life was great for Dr Sloane, that is until he heard the commotion that was coming from down the hall. The grin left his face, as he hurried through the hospital towards the noise. He grabbed a security guard on his way, and finally found the source of the trouble in the relative's room. He gasped as he saw a giant of a man holding Jesse pinned up against a wall, almost dangling as his feet barely touched the floor. The security guard grabbed the man roughly by the arms and pulled him away from Jesse. Mark went straight over to his friend, and put his hand on his shoulder, as he watched Jesse struggle to get his breath back, as he stood hunched over with his hands on his knees and his head dropped down. Jesse didn't speak, Mark just watched concerned as he wheezed trying to breathe, until he was gestured by the guard.  
  
"Dr Sloane, can you hold him for a moment while I go and call the cops?" he asked, Mark was just about to agree when Jesse interrupted him.  
  
"No. No police, just leave it" he whispered, as his voice would go no louder.  
  
"But Dr Travis he could have killed you" the guard protested.  
  
"Just let him go, and leave it at that. It's ok" Jesse stated, and to show the end of the discussion he walked out of the room. Mark just exchanged a shrug with the guard, before following after Jesse. He was concerned about the younger man and wanted to check he was all right. When he found him he could tell that he was far from okay, as he was as white as a sheet, and was retching into a toilet. Mark sighed deeply and quietly went further into the restroom, and placed a hand gently on Jesse's trembling shoulder.  
  
"Jesse are you okay?" he asked softly, Jesse squeezed his eyes shut before responding.  
  
"I'm fine Mark, just really tired is all" he replied, and for the first time in days Mark took a really good look at the younger man. He really did look exhausted; his eyes had dark circles already forming under them.  
  
"Jesse why don't you go home and get some sleep, and I'll see you later at my house for dinner" Mark told him.  
  
"But Mark I still have an hour of my shift left, besides I can't just go" he replied.  
  
"Yes you can, and that is exactly what you are going to do. I will cover your shift for you. Now go, no arguments, and I'll see you later for dinner" Mark told him, not willing to give in on this instance, as his friend looked like if he didn't sleep soon, he would collapse. Mark's worry was deepened when instead of arguing, Jesse nodded silently, before turning to leave the room.  
  
"Thanks Mark" he muttered, and slowly walked to the doctors' lounge. As he walked in Amanda looked up.  
  
"Hay Jess" she greeted him, he smiled weakly at her. Amanda raised her eyebrows at Steve who was sat drinking his cup of coffee, waiting for his father. Jess went straight to his locker and grabbed his kit bag. He hung his white coat up, and not even bothering to change out of his scrubs he walked out the room, waving silently as he walked out.  
  
"What's up with him?" Steve asked Amanda, certain that he was missing something.  
  
"I have no idea, but I'm sure that his shift doesn't end for at least another half hour" she responded, as puzzled as her friend was about Jesse's behaviour. It was at that point that Mark came into the lounge.  
  
"Hi Dad you ready to go?" Steve asked his father; they were off to the grocery store to get the ingredients for that evening's dinner.  
  
"Sorry Steve, you'll have to wait another hour or so before I finish" he replied with a sheepish smile.  
  
"But Dad you said you finished at five today" Steve whined in response. He was already bored.  
  
"I know and I was supposed to, but I said I'd cover the rest of Jess's shift so that he could go and get some much needed sleep"  
  
"Ah so that was where he was off to" Amanda said to herself, glad that that was one mystery solved.  
  
"Is he okay?" Steve asked his father, concerned about his younger friend.  
  
"I'm sure he'll be fine, he just needs some sleep. This was his fifth sixteen hour shift this week, and he is exhausted" Mark told his son.  
  
"Wow, the little guy just don't know when to quit does he" Steve responded with a grin, amazed that his friend could manage to work a total of seventy- eight hours at the hospital plus do his share at BBQ Bob's and still keep going. Mark smiled, more concerned for, than in awe of his friend. He then made his goodbyes and went off to finish off Jesse's rounds.  
  
Jesse didn't even take his clothes off before crawling into bed; he just pushed his shoes off, and was asleep before his head hit the pillow.  
  
"What is that racket?" Steve Sloane called out over the wailing coming from the kitchen. His Dad turned round to glare at him.  
  
"I'll have you know I have a very good singing voice" Mark told his son in mock disgust.  
  
"Yeah whatever" Steve retorted with a grin. He was glad to see his father so happy, he grinned again to himself, before making his way back upstairs to get changed.  
  
By the time he came back downstairs Amanda was sat in the front room sipping a glass of wine as she waited.  
  
"Hi" she greeted with a smile.  
  
"Hi Amanda, is Jess in the kitchen with Dad?" he asked her, keen to see his younger friend.  
  
"Jesse isn't here yet Steve. I'm sure he won't be long though" she replied, well aware that her friend was already late.  
  
Jesse arrived over forty minutes later. He had slept right through his alarm and was over an hours late for dinner at Mark's. he apologised profusely upon his arrival, semi aware of Mark appraising glance on him. Jesse still looked very pale, and his eyes were glassy like he had a very bad headache. The bruises around his neck had come up and Mark could actually make out the imprints of someone's hand. Mark sighed, his friend truly did look awful.  
  
"Don't apologise Jesse, from the looks of you, you needed the extra sleep" Mark told him gently, Jesse smiled weakly in response. He couldn't deny that Mark's words were the truth, he was exhausted and his head was still banging. Amanda came over to him, for the first time noticing the bruises around his neck.  
  
"What the hell happened to you?" she asked him in concern. Her tone aroused Steve's suspicions, as he turned around and saw Jesse's bruises. Jesse looked at Mark panicked at the question, so his older friend stepped into help.  
  
"Jesse got attacked today, at the hospital" Mark told them.  
  
"That's funny I didn't hear anything" Steve responded.  
  
"Um that's because I didn't report it" Jesse muttered not meeting anyone's gaze.  
  
"Well why the hell not?" Steve asked his friend almost angrily.  
  
"Steve leave him alone, come on lets go and it before the food is ruined" Mark intervened, seeing the look of distress on Jesse's face, although he himself had every intention of continuing their discussion, he just wanted to make sure that Jesse had something to eat first. Mark was extremely concerned about the younger man, he hadn't been taking proper care of himself and he was looking decidedly unhealthy lately.  
  
The group as usual chatted easily through dinner, although Jesse was noticeably quiet throughout the meal, and also seemed to be lacking his usual appetite. Steve noticed this and exchanged a worried glance with his father, when Jesse didn't even manage to eat half a plate of food. Almost as soon as dinner was over, Jesse began to make his excuses. Mark however could be just as stubborn as his younger colleague.  
  
"Jesse I insist that you stay for a coffee" he stated at the end of a long discussion. Jesse sighed deeply and sat back down on the sofa. Amanda went into the kitchen to put the kettle on. Mark and Steve sat down on the sofa on either side of Jesse, so he was effectively boxed in.  
  
"So Jesse, why didn't you report that man? And why was he trying to hurt you?" Steve asked getting straight to the point. Jesse looked at Mark, silently pleading for help, but none was forthcoming. He sighed deeply before actually replying.  
  
"The man was the father of a girl I had been treating. The reason he hit me was because she had just died, and I guess he needed someone to blame. The reason I didn't report him was because I thought he had enough to cope with having just lost his only child, without getting arrested aswell, why what would you have done?" Jesse asked almost bitterly. Mark sighed, he should have known it would be something like that, and Jesse was right to leave the police out of it, he just didn't understand what was going on inside Jesse's head before the incident even took place.  
  
"You're right Jesse, I would have done the same thing" he assured his young friend, and Jesse smiled shyly, relieved that his mentor agreed with his judgement. Steve sighed before admitting that he also agreed with Jesse. Jesse yawned then climbed to his feet, swaying slightly as he did so.  
  
"Look guys, I'm gonna go. I'll skip the coffee okay?" he told them, but Mark shook his head.  
  
"Jesse you are dead on your feet, why don't you stay here tonight?" he asked him, and before the younger man could object he continued. "Jess you have done too many long shifts this week, plus your work at Bob's and you are exhausted. I am worried, now do an old man a favour and stay here tonight so that at least I can worry whilst keeping an eye on you" Mark told him firmly, and Jesse added to his concern by just nodding in agreement rather than arguing.  
  
"You know I think I might call it a night aswell" Steve told his father about five minutes after Jesse had retired for the evening.  
  
Jesse stripped down to his boxers and slid between the sheets into the freshly made bed, it only took him a matter of seconds to leap out of bed and sprint to the bathroom as the nausea hit him. He retched up what little he had managed to eat for dinner, and then the painful dry heaves set in. In his haste Jesse had forgotten to shut the bathroom door, and when he looked up with sheer misery on his face, he saw Steve standing over him. Steve went straight to the sink and rinsed a cloth, then carefully bent down and wiped Jesse's flushed face, before helping the exhausted doctor to his feet, and guiding him back to bed. . Steve looked at his friend in concern before heading back downstairs to get his father.  
  
"How is he?" Mark asked in concern.  
  
"I just found him puking his guts up in the bathroom" Steve told him, and neither doctor responded, each totting up a list of symptoms in their head.  
Jesse was exhausted and yet sleep was hard to find that night. He was having difficulty in relaxing, as his head was throbbing and his mind could not expel the image of the young girl that had died that day. He was also angry at himself, he couldn't even remember the girl's name. He hadn't been able to save her, and now he couldn't even remember her name, what sort of doctor did that make him? His plight was made worse knowing that he was in someone else's house, and not at home in his own bed. He sighed deeply his head really did hurt. He gingerly felt the back of his head where it had come in contact with the wall. There was a bump there, and Jesse was not surprised. He climbed out of bed and went to his jacket, where he removed a packet of aspirin from his pocket; he swallowed four of them dry. He knew it was more than the recommended dose, but he was hoping it would knock him out for the night.  
  
Less than two hours later Jesse decided to just give up on sleep, since it had evaded him all night. He staggered out of bed, swaying as he made his way down the hall to the bathroom. He quickly splashed cold water over his face, hoping to wake himself up. He ran his fingers through his hair and caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror. His eyes had none of their usual spark and there were dark circles under them. His neck had turned a deep shade of blue where his bruises had formed overnight. He sighed again then winced as it aggravated his sore throat. He turned and quietly made his way back to the guest room, where he straightened the bed before getting dressed and making his way downstairs and silently letting himself out of the house and to his car. He drove straight to the hospital to start his shift two hours early. Mark watched the younger doctor from his bedroom window.  
  
"Oh Jesse, why won't you just tell me what's wrong?" he asked to himself.  
  
Jesse spread the file out across the desk in the doctors' lounge. He had just taken some more aspirin, but they still put no dent in the pain in his head. Hi sighed then picked up the cover of the file he was reading.  
  
"Lucy Marshall" he said to himself, finally remembering the name of the girl. Twelve years old and she had died of a gunshot wound. She'd been living with her father since her mother's death three years previously. Jesse rubbed his hands over his face, trying to prevent the tears from falling, that poor man, now left with nothing in the World. He blinked hard, to clear his vision, he didn't know why he was reacting like this, he had lost patients before, under similar circumstances and not torn himself up over it like this. Maybe it was because of the man's reaction, what ever it was Jesse couldn't put his finger on it at that moment. He shook his head to discard the spots forming in front of his eyes, and picked up the first sheet of the file and began to read.  
  
That was where Mark found him an hour later, when he arrived to start his shift.  
  
"Jesse what are you doing?" he asked softly.  
  
"Ah, just reading up on some files" Jesse replied not meeting his friend's gaze.  
  
"Is this the young girl that died yesterday?" Mark asked. Jesse looked up surprised at his friend's insight.  
  
"Yeah I just thought I'd check it over that's all" Jesse replied.  
  
"Okay do you need any help?" Mark offered.  
  
"No thanks Mark, I'm done actually besides I've got rounds to do" Jesse responded before getting to his feet. Mark was alarmed to see him sway slightly. Jesse stretched and then slowly left the room, leaving a worried Mark to watch him go.  
  
Mark sat down in Jesse's recently vacated chair, and picked up the file that the younger man had been reading. It was upsetting, such a tragic waste of a young life but it was nothing that Jesse hadn't seen a million times before. Mark rubbed his eyes with his hands, suddenly feeling very old. Just what was going on with Jesse he didn't know, but he was determined to find out.  
  
It took twenty minutes for Steve Sloane to arrive at Community General Hospital. His father's call had puzzled him, he knew that he needed to discuss something to do with Jesse, but he wasn't sure what could have happened since that morning. Having said that Steve was very glad that the were finally going to come up with a plan to get to the bottom of whatever was troubling Jesse.  
  
He found his father sitting in the lounge, and he pulled up the seat next to him. Mark immediately handed him a fresh cup of coffee, and Steve smiled his thanks. Just as the two men began to drink their coffees they were joined by Amanda Bentley.  
  
"Hi guys" she greeted "Where's Jess?" she asked, surprised that their youngest companion wasn't present.  
  
"It's him we're here to discuss Amanda" Mark replied.  
  
"Well it's about time" Amanda surprised them by responding. She herself had been quite anxious about her friend's behaviour of late. Just as the three friends were about to enter into discussion, they were interrupted by the intercom.  
  
"Dr Sloane to the ER, Dr Sloane to the ER" Mark sighed as he rose to his feet and headed out of the door.  
  
"Wait here and we'll continue this when I get back" he told them as he left the room to head to the ER. Mark dashed towards the group of staff to find our why he had been paged. He was horrified to find the reason was Jesse. His young friend was laid on a gurney, deathly pale and covered in sweat.  
  
"What happened?" Mark asked a nearby nurse.  
  
"Dr Travis just collapsed. He sort of swayed and then just crumbled to the ground. He was unconscious for about ten minutes, then he came to but he was very confused and dazed." The young nurse told Mark. He thanked her then went into see his friend for himself. 


	2. Chapter Two

Thank you for all the feedback I have received for the first chapter, it makes it feel worthwhile! Also thank you for help on the language barrier! This is a bit shorter is size, as I wanted to try and make sure I got something posted. Please keep the review coming, as they are always helpful.  
Chapter Two  
  
Mark stood next the bed, where his friend lay as pale as the sheets beneath him.  
  
"Jesse?" Mark questioned softly, and was relieved when the pale eyes flickered open.  
  
"Mark?" Jesse responded weakly.  
  
"Yes Jesse it's me. I need to examine you okay?" he told the younger man, and received a barely noticeable nod in response. "Jesse, can you tell me what happened?" Mark prompted the young doctor, trying to keep him awake.  
  
"Head hurt, then fainted. Probably just tired" Jesse whispered, not even convincing himself. He flinched as Mark shone his flashlight into his eye.  
  
"Jesse you know I need to do this, does this hurt your eyes?" he asked gathering symptoms as he went on. Jesse nodded slightly. Mark sighed. "I need to order a MRI" he told him, and finally got a reaction out of Jesse.  
  
"Mark honestly I am fine" Jesse told the older doctor, and tried to prove it by sitting up, only he didn't quite manage it as dizziness overtook him.  
  
"Let me be the judge of that okay?" he instructed as he gently pushed Jesse back against the pillows on the bed. "Now I am going to take your blood pressure, so if you could just roll your sleeve up for me" Mark said forcefully. Jesse sighed deeply, but did as he was told. Mark was not impressed by the readout of the blood pressure monitor. "Jesse your blood pressure is astronomical." he told him.  
  
"That's probably why, now can I please go now?" Jesse pleaded actually desperate to go home for once.  
  
"I'm afraid not. Jesse this blood pressure is beyond being unhealthy, plus the fact that you collapsed less than half an hour ago. I am also concerned by your dizziness and aversion to light. I am going to run some more tests, and no arguments" he told Jesse rather than asking him. Jesse sighed and nodded in defeat, Mark squeezed his shoulder before leaving the room to gather the admittance forms. He was stood by the reception desk, when Steve spotted him.  
  
"Dad, what's going on?" he asked, he wanted to continue his earlier discussion with his father, but he need to go back to work soon.  
  
"It's Jesse, he collapsed. I am just admitting him" Mark told his son, and saw his son's face drop immediately.  
  
"Well what's wrong with him?" Steve demanded to know. Mark placed a hand on his son's arm.  
  
"I don't know yet Steve. We're going to run some tests"  
  
"But you must have some idea" Steve reasoned, desperate for at least a little bit of information from his father.  
  
"I really don't know" Mark replied, refusing to budge. He couldn't give his son answers that he did not have.  
  
"Well can I go and see him then?" Steve asked, Mark just nodded and Steve was off down the corridor searching for his best friend, Mark shook his head. His son had always been so impatient, he could have saved so much time by just waiting for one moment and asking a room number, but as usual he wanted to get going. He smiled sadly, maybe Steve and Jesse had more in common than anyone actually noticed.  
It only took a moment for Steve to find Jesse. His best friend looked so small and vulnerable lying in his hospital bed on his side. Steve could actually see pain lines etched around his eyes. The older man pulled a chair up alongside the bed, and gently took Jesse's hand in his own. He was surprised when the pale blue eyes sprung open.  
  
"Hey there partner how you doing?" Steve asked, not really expecting an honest response, since Jesse always liked to look after himself, and would not admit weakness.  
  
"I am okay, I'd be even better if your Dad would let me go home" Jesse replied, and Steve chuckled slightly.  
  
"They say that doctors make the worst patients" he told him, and was relieved when Jesse's lips curled into a small smile, even if it didn't reach his eyes it was a start. "Seriously though Jess what's going on?" he asked.  
  
"I don't know what you mean" Jesse replied not meeting his friend eyes.  
  
"I mean it Jess, something has been wrong for a couple of weeks now, what is it?" he asked, but his friend was no longer listening. Steve watched in horror as the young man's face contorted in pain, and he squeezed his eyes shut. Steve swore under his breath, then reached forward and pressed the emergency call button.  
  
"Jess? Jess what is it?" he asked desperately, but his friend could no longer hear him, as he had passed out from the pain. Steve just held his hand numbly, even as the medical staff filled the room and pulled him away from his friend.  
"Steve come on you need to give them room to work now?" Amanda told her friend, and Steve looked around in surprise, he hadn't even known she had entered the room. Steve nodded silently and followed her out of the room. He couldn't clear the vision of Jesse from his mind. He had looked like he was in extreme agony, even when he had gone unconscious. Steve and Amanda headed back to the doctors' lounge for lack of anything else to do. They were both surprised when minutes later they were joined by the elder Sloan.  
  
"Dad why aren't you with Jesse?" Steve asked, fearing the worst.  
  
"I have to leave his care to Dr Scott, I am emotionally involved" Mark replied bitterly. He hadn't wanted to leave Jesse, he had been forced to. Even though in his heart of hearts he knew that it was the right thing to do, he had still wanted to be the one to look after Jesse, still at least he knew Dr Scott and he knew that she would keep him posted. He was brought out of his reverie by Amanda's hand on his arm.  
  
"Come on Mark, you may as well wait here with us. Do they have any idea what is wrong yet?" she asked just as concerned as the two men. Mark shook his head sadly.  
The three friends were sat together for the best part of an hour before Dr Scott entered the lounge to update them on Jesse's progress. She knew Jesse herself, but obviously not as closely as his two medical colleagues. She knew that he was a very gifted doctor, and a lovely man, but she had to keep distanced at the moment so that she could give him the best medical care. She smiled briefly at her two colleagues and the detective who were desperate to hear news of their sick friend.  
  
"Drs Sloan and Bentley, Detective" she greeted them in turn, before taking a seat next to Mark. "You'll be pleased to know that Dr Travis is stable, but he has not regained consciousness yet. We have run some tests, as you are aware. Given the results we are about to run an Artiogram." she told them, and waited for the news to sink in. Mark gasped first. Steve looked at his father in alarm.  
  
"What? What is it Dad?" he questioned anxiously. It took a moment for Mark to respond.  
  
"They think that Jesse has a blood-clot, on the brain perhaps?" he half asked and half told, at Dr Scott's nod he continued. "And that means that you think he has had a stroke." He finished putting two and two together. Dr Scott's silence gave him all the answer that he needed. 


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three  
  
Yep, it's me again! Thank you all once again for all the feedback I have received; hope this lives up to expectations!  
  
Chapter Three  
  
The three friends sat in silence, each of their thoughts with Jesse. It was Steve that spoke first.  
  
"So what happens now? I mean is Jesse going to be okay?" he asked, a million questions bursting to escape. It was Dr Scott that answered.  
  
"Well we will run the Artiogram and obviously have to assess the treatment from there" she paused for a moment before continuing, "The severity of the stroke will obviously determine what treatment is required. I wouldn't like to comment at the moment. As for Dr Travis's prognosis again it would depend on the severity of the stroke, and the outcome of the treatment we decide to follow, but Jesse is young and fit so I'd say that his chances are good" she finished, she rose to her feet and headed out of the door. "I'll come back as soon as I hear anything" she told them before leaving.  
  
"What does she mean 'the severity'? Isn't Jesse a bit young to have a stroke? I mean he's only twenty-nine" Steve asked his father, Mark shook his head to clear his thoughts.  
  
"The likely hood is that it is a result of some sort of untreated head trauma. That could explain the blood clot, and then obviously as the brain wasn't getting it's necessary blood supply a stroke occurred." Mark replied.  
  
"But he collapsed over an hour ago, why would he then get so sick so quickly after that?" Steve asked, really desperate to gain answers about his friend's condition.  
  
"The chances are that when he collapsed it was just a Transient Ischemic Attack, which is a sort of mini-stroke, this acts as a warning. Obviously someone of Jesse's age the link might never have been made to a full blown stroke. Unfortunately it followed so suddenly and so quickly that there was little that could be done to prevent it" Amanda told her surrogate brother, squeezing his shoulder as she told him. Before Steve could respond Mark continued.  
  
"There are many things that could happen when the treatment has been completed, it will depend on which part of the brain the stroke has affected. It could affect his speech, his thought processes, his balance even his joints could be affected. It will literally be a case of having to wait and see. Don't think the worse. I mean it Steve, whatever the outcome is Jesse is going to need all of us to be strong, and to support him" Mark told his son forcefully, even though he would have to admit he was weighing up Jesse's options if the worse came to the worse. Steve nodded mutely, even though his Father's strong words had made sense, and were very logical, he was still very concerned about his friend.  
  
"Shouldn't we contact his parents?" he asked after a while. Mark and Amanda exchanged a glance.  
  
"Do you really think that would be a good idea?" Mark asked after a while "I mean they didn't exactly part on good terms last time did they? I don't want Jesse to become agitated and risk his recovery" Mark continued. Steve nodded.  
  
"When do you think he got hit on the head?" Steve asked, and Mark looked at him blankly. "You said a blow to the head could have caused the blood clot" he elaborated, and his father nodded.  
  
"Yes, well I don't know. It could have been anytime, you know Jesse doesn't ask for any help if he can possibly avoid it" Mark told them  
  
"Did he bang his head during that altercation with Mr Marshall?" Amanda asked referring to the patient's Father that had attacked Jesse earlier that week. Mark sighed, deep in thought.  
  
"I don't know Amanda, I just don't know he never let me examine him, besides he was acting strangely before that" he replied thoughtfully. "I just wish he had spoken to us before it had come to this" he continued, voicing what the other two friends had been thinking.  
It was over two hours before Dr Scott returned, and the three friends were almost frantic with worry by this time. She smiled at them as she entered, in what she hoped was a reassuring manner. She sat next to Mark and didn't pull any punches in her explanation.  
  
"Well the tests have confirmed that Jesse has suffered from a stroke. Because of the time lapse it would be unwise for us to start on anticoagulants at this time. Because of the severity of his condition and the suddenness of its onslaught, I would like to suggest that we try an experimental procedure" she told him, not sure of his reaction, she was surprised by how calm he remained.  
  
"You mean Neuroperfusion?" he asked and she nodded. "I've heard that that particular procedure is quiet intrusive" he told her, Steve exchanged a glance with Amanda, she just gestured slightly with her hands to tell him she'd explain later.  
  
"It is yes, but it has been very successful" Dr Scott continued, and Steve could take it no more.  
  
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but do you think that someone could explain for this non-doctor type?" he told them, and it came out more aggressively than he had intended. Mark gently squeezed his arm and explained briefly to placate his son.  
  
"Neuroperfusion is when oxygen rich blood is rerouted through the brain to prevent damage being caused due to lack of oxygen getting to the brain. This sort of reverses the plumbing of the circulatory system, so the blood flow is in reverse. It just makes use of the veins that are free and clear to carry the blood to the compromised brain tissue" he explained.  
  
"But Dad where do they get this 'oxygen rich' blood from?" Steve asked, really not understanding.  
  
"They usually draw it from an artery in the back of the leg and it gets passed to the veins at the back of the head" Steve winced at this, and Mark caught his reaction but didn't comment on it. "It then circulates to the affected tissue"  
  
"But if it can go there, won't it just clot or leak out?" Steve asked.  
  
"We use partially inflated balloons to stop the blood from flowing out" Amanda told him, to save Mark.  
  
"How does this get rid of the blood-clot though?" Steve persisted, he felt that he really needed to fully understand, if he was going to help Jesse.  
  
"Well usually the clot just dissolves itself, or gets washed away by the pressure of the blood flowing in reverse" Dr Scott informed him. The three doctors then sat in silence, waiting for Steve's next question, when none came Dr Scott continued their discussion, speaking directly to Mark. "So would you be happy to sign for me to carry out the procedure?" she asked Mark, he looked at puzzled.  
  
"Why would I have to sign for you to do it?" Mark asked, truly confused.  
  
"Well as Jesse is unconscious and can't sign himself, his next of kin have to authorise it as you know" she told him, and it took Mark a moment before he realised what she was saying.  
  
"You mean that Jesse has me listed as his next of kin?" he asked surprised, but also so proud that the young man thought so highly of him to trust him with these sort of decisions.  
  
"Why wouldn't you be Dad, you're his family" Steve told his father, and didn't miss him blinking back tears and slightly shaking his head as he signed the release for surgery form. Amanda just walked over to Mark and placed an arm loosely around his shoulders.  
  
"Mark you know you are Jesse's father, maybe not biologically, but he respects you and loves you more than his own blood" she told him, and this time Mark didn't try to prevent the tears that fell. 


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four  
  
Once again many thanks for all your feedback and kind words. I did a lot of research for the last chapter, and I am very glad that it showed. Anyway here's the next chapter, please keep the reviews coming!  
Chapter Four  
  
The three friends were left alone for what felt like an eternity, but in real time was only three hours. Mark was deep in thought, when Steve's voice penetrated.  
  
"Do you think he will be okay?" he asked, desperation evident in his voice.  
  
"I just don't know Steve. All we can do it wait and pray" Mark replied, all medical reasoning thrown out of the window, after all if a doctor didn't have faith, what did he have?  
  
"What is taking so long?" Steve asked, not really expecting any answer, and none was forthcoming. The three of them once again lapsed into silence, that was interrupted by the shrill of Steve's cellphone. He jumped at the noise, as it sounded at least three decibels louder than usual in the eerie quiet of the room. He smiled apologetically at the other occupants of the room, then answered in a clipped tone. His father and Amanda could tell from Steve's tone that it was his Captain calling, and both of them knew that he would not budge, no matter what the other man said, until he knew the outcome of the procedure currently being carried out on Jesse. The call was extremely brief, and as soon as it ended Steve switched the phone off so that he would get no further interruptions.  
  
"Captain?" Mark asked questioningly. Steve nodded in response, but gave no further details away, and the room was once again filled with a deafening silence. That is until Dr Scott entered an hour later, and this time her smile was more heartfelt.  
  
"I have some good news and some bad news" she told them seriously, and when she saw that she had all of their attention she continued. "The good news is that the clot dissolved twenty minutes ago, so the neuroperfusion was successful" she told them.  
  
"So what's the bad?" Steve asked impatient as ever.  
  
"The bad news is that Jesse coded during the procedure, and it took nearly thirty minutes to get him stabilised. He is now on full life support, as we were forced to heavily sedate him"  
  
"Was that really necessary?" Steve asked, desperate to see his friend awake and laughing with him.  
  
"Steve, we have to give Jesse's body the chance to recover. A stroke causes a massive trauma, and we don't yet know how much he will be affected. The best way is to sedate him until he has gained enough strength to be able to cope with any side affects." Mark told him, knowing and understanding how his son felt, but the doctor in him instilled him with logical reasoning, his next question was aimed at Dr Scott. "Do you know which part of the brain was affected?" he asked her, almost dreading the answer.  
  
"Yes, we believe it was the cerebellum" she replied, gauging Mark's reaction she continued. "This isn't necessarily a bad thing" she continued  
  
"Dad, what does that mean?" Steve asked, his agitation again rising.  
  
"It means that his reflexes and balance could be affected" Amanda told him "Which could affect his future as a doctor"  
  
That's it for now, next chapter up soon!! 


	5. Chapter Five

Once again thank you for all your wonderful support and comments, I have tried to make this chapter a little longer!  
Chapter Five  
  
"So what now?" Steve asked, feeling the need to do something, anything to help his friend.  
  
"We just wait, and we make sure that we are there for Jesse" Amanda continued squeezing his hand as she spoke, she had no doubt in her mind that whatever happened when Jesse woke up they were going to be there for him, and they would not let him down. Steve just nodded mutely, his thoughts following a similar line to Amanda's.  
  
"So when can we see him?" Steve asked the young doctor, who had waited in silence whilst the three ingested the news.  
  
"He is just being settled in the ICU, but then you can see him. It's supposed to be two at a time, and it is well outside visiting hours, but under the circumstances I am prepared to bend the rules" she told them, and although her words were meant to be reassuring, to the three friend they were anything but, as they just brought home what a serious condition their young friend was currently in. Mark nodded his thanks at his young colleague, before following out of the room and up to the ICU.  
  
The three entered Jesse's room silently. The two doctors knew what to expect, but were still unprepared for the sight before them. Jesse was so pale his skin was almost translucent. His eyes were taped shut, and a respirator breathed for him. His left wrist was bandaged and a tube for the IV snaked out of him. Amanda blinked back tears as she saw her friend lying so small and vulnerable, he looked almost lost in the expanse of the bed. She gently took his hand in between her own, and pulled a nearby chair up besides his bed, clutching to his hand as if her life depended on it, and in some ways it did. Never letting go of his hand she sobbed silently at the ill fortune of her best friend, who lay so helpless before her, his future so uncertain. She knew that if Jesse couldn't practice medicine it would kill him more certainly than any illness ever could, but it would be slowly from the inside. Steve's thoughts mirrored those of his friend's and his actions were unconsciously also following her lead, as he pulled the second chair up to the other side of Jesse, and held onto his hand gently. He looked at the young unconscious man with such love and concern in his gaze, that Mark could feel his heart breaking. God, if Jesse died, whatever would they do? Mark shook his head in an attempt to dislodge the maudlin thought; the he walked over to his fallen friend and gently stroked the soft blonde hair out of his face, then caressed his pale cheek. He sighed before whispering, "You get well son" to his youngest surrogate child. Steve smiled encouragingly at his father, though even he knew the gesture was weak, and Jesse would need so much more to get through this.  
  
Mark muttered his farewells, and then had to leave the two younger friends to watch over his protégé whilst he completed his rounds.  
When Mark returned to Jesse's room some hours later, he found Amanda asleep with her head resting gently on Jesse's arm, and Steve was stretched out with his head lolling to one side, in the way that Mark knew would cause his son some agony when he woke up and rediscovered the muscles in his back, that his awkward sleeping position would have compromised. Mark grinned sadly as he noticed that his son still clutched Jesse's other hand. The elderly doctor cast an approving eye over the various monitors tracking Jesse's health, and found that the young patient was progressing nicely. Just as he had finished his observations Dr Scott entered the room, he raised a finger to his lips, to make her aware of the two sleeping occupants in the room, she gestured Mark outside.  
  
"Well it seems that Jesse is a fighter. We're going to reduce the sedative today, so that he can begin to come round" she told him.  
  
"That's great news" Mark responded, though his spirits were dampened slightly by the fact that they didn't yet know what long-term effects Jesse would suffer.  
  
"That's fantastic news" a voice said from behind him, and Mark was startled to find his apparently sleeping son, very much awake and stretching like a cat behind him.  
  
"Oh good you are awake, I'll go and prep Jesse for coming to" Dr Scott returned into Jesse's room, to check on him, being very careful not to disturb the slumbering Amanda.  
  
"What's the matter Dad? You don't seem very pleased" Steve asked his father, already suspecting what was on his father's mind, but wanting him to talk about it.  
  
"Of course I am please, but I am just concerned as to how Jesse will react if there are any side effects" Mark replied honestly, and his much taller son grinned, before placing an arm around his father's shoulders.  
  
"You heard Dr Scott, Jesse's a fighter. So no matter what happens, he will be fine. Besides he's got us to help him through it, and I don't give up without a fight" Steve told his father with undisguised affection for his little 'brother'. Mark returned his grin, but it didn't reach his eyes, as deep down his son's words had done little to lessen his concerns. 


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six  
  
Yep back again so soon. I can't tell you how grateful I am for all the reviews and e-mails I have received about this story. This is now completed in my mind, but not yet in writing. Anyway here's the next chapter to be going on with. Please keep up the reviews!!  
Chapter Six  
  
It was some time later before Jesse showed even the slightest sign of waking up. Amanda had finally persuaded Steve and Mark to go and take a break, and she was sat alone with Jesse, just watching his chest rise and fall. The tape on his eyes had been removed earlier that day by Dr Scott, in preparation for Jesse waking up, however the respirator was still present, as Jesse's system was still too weak, and no-one was willing to compromise it by taking away the little bit of help too soon. Amanda was relieved that the setting had been altered so that the machine only aided Jesse's natural breathing, to help him gather sufficient oxygen, rather than breathing totally for him. Amanda squeezed his hand, and silently willed him to open his eyes. As if by some miracle at that moment his eyes began to valiantly struggle to open.  
  
"Come on Jesse, come back to us" Amanda urged him gently. She was relieved when his pale blue eyes slowly opened. He blinked several times to try to clear his vision, and she guessed that he was only marginally successful as they still held a confused glassy expression, but Amanda was so relieved to see her friend awake that she didn't care.  
  
"Hi there" she greeted softly, and slowly Jesse's expression altered to one of recognition clearly reflected in those honest eyes. However it soon turned to panic as Jesse attempted to take a deep breath, and was prevented from doing so by the respirator tube down his throat. Jesse struggled against it, until Amanda firmly squeezed his arms to bring him back to the present, and soothingly spoke to him.  
  
"Jesse! Jesse it's okay! It's a respirator tube, it's there to help you, just don't fight it" she told, knowing that the doctor in him would understand, but not sure whether that part of his brain was in charge at the moment. She breathed a sigh of relief when he visibly relaxed. He closed his eyes for a second to steady himself, and then looked questioningly at Amanda, he was glad when she clearly understood his question, and was just about to begin to explain where he was and why, where her explanation was interrupted by the two Sloans returning. Amanda smiled gently.  
  
"Jesse, Mark and Steve are here to see you" she told him, partly for his benefit and partly so that Steve and Mark had warning that their patient was awake. Jesse rolled his pain-glazed eyes towards his other two best friends, and would have smiled weakly at them if he had been able to. He felt as though every part of his body was either aching or numb. He didn't know what had happened, but he knew it must have been serious, as his three friends looked visibly shaken. Mark was the worst, the older doctor had such an open face, and Jesse knew him too well for him to be able to hide anything, and right now Jesse did not like what he saw. He closed his eyes again, and when he opened them again a moment later, his attention went to Steve. The tall man had a big grin on his face, yes he had obviously been worried, but didn't have the medical knowledge to know that whatever was coming next was also going to be hard. Jesse tried to sigh, and once again was obstructed by the tube, his eyes flew open as his breath caught, and then he felt someone squeeze his arm, not Amanda this time, no this was Mark. Jesse was quite impressed that under the circumstances his thought processes seemed to be working just fine, but of course he hadn't actually had to verbalise anything yet. Mark moved his face into Jesse's line of sight and waited for the confused but unbreaking gaze to lock onto his. Mark smiled reassuringly before speaking.  
  
"Jesse I know the tube is uncomfortable, but at the moment to need to gain all the strength you can, and you need that little bit of help. It's for your own good" Mark told him, then remembering who he was speaking to, the master of not really thinking about his own welfare or asking for help unless it was unavoidable he continued "Just do it for us. We nearly lost you this week, and none of us could deal with that, okay son" he finished, knowing that Jesse wouldn't let him down. The look in Jesse's eyes told him all that he needed to know, and he wasn't so sure that he liked what he saw.  
  
Jesse closed his eyes again, he had only been awake for ten minutes, and had not moved or spoken in that time yet he was exhausted. He was already regretting that he hadn't spoke to his friends about what was on his mind before his illness. He wished that he had, but now it could be too late.  
  
Mark gently stroked the young man's hair until he was sure he had drifted off into a healing sleep.  
  
"This is fantastic isn't it Dad?" Steve stated excitedly, he had never been more relieved to see his friend looking at him. "I mean I know there is still a way to go, but that's one hurdle over come isn't it?" he continued.  
  
"Yes Steve, it's great news that Jesse has woken up" Mark replied not wanting to dampen Steve's spirits, although he was personally very concerned that Jesse hadn't fought harder against the respirator, and he really hadn't liked the look in those true blue eyes, but he kept these thoughts to himself, hoping against hope that Jesse would prove him wrong. 


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven  
  
Yes once again thanks for your reviews, and please keep them coming.  
  
Chapter Seven  
  
Jesse's dream were full of bright colours and confused images, he could see a man holding him by his neck against a wall, and a young girl breathing her dying breath. He struggled to come awake, but couldn't He was scared, really scared. What was happening? Why was he in hospital? He couldn't breath, every time he tried his breath caught in his throat. He couldn't speak; he so wanted to speak, to tell his friends to leave him. Explain to them that he wasn't worth their tears, but he couldn't. He needed to explain what was wrong, but no he couldn't manage that. He was helpless as usual, just useless. Jesse, lacking the energy to fight anymore, let his nightmares carry him off.  
  
The three friends sat watching over their friend in a silent vigil, that is until Amanda nearly broke her jaw by yawning so hard.  
  
"I think that you had better go home and get some sleep" Mark told her gently.  
  
"I know I should, but I don't really want to leave him" she replied. Mark had expected her objection, and understood her point. Jesse was far from being out of the woods yet, but she had to rest.  
  
"Amanda you have CJ to think of, plus when Jesse comes off of the vent he is going to need all the strength and support that we have, so you need to rest so that when he really needs you you will be here for him" he told her with passion, deeply believing every word he said. Amanda nodded; she saw the sense in what he was saying.  
  
"You'll call me if there's any change?" she told him, and when he nodded she got to her feet and gently kissed Jesse on the forehead, then made for home. Mark then turned his attention to Steve.  
  
"All that I just said to her, goes for you as well you know" he told his son, and before he could object he continued. "I mean it Steve. Jesse is going to need us more than ever, we owe it to him to look after ourselves, and each other" Mark felt slightly guilty at using emotional blackmail, but what he said was still true. Steve sighed deeply in resignation, and then raised his hands in defeat.  
  
"Okay, okay you win. I give in, I'm going" he stated reluctantly, and then shocked his father when he too stood up and kissed Jesse tenderly on the head, before walking off. Now that Steve had left Mark found himself alone with Jesse for the first time since his admittance to the hospital. He looked at his young charge; he could tell that whatever the young man was thinking, it wasn't comforting. What could be causing the young man such trouble? Jesse's face so innocent and childlike was pale, and pain lines were clearly visible around his eyes. For the millionth time Mark just wished that Jesse wasn't so damned independent. Mark sighed he loved this young man so much it was breaking his heart to see him like this. Now that he was alone he finally allowed the tears to flow. His friend was such a talented doctor, and such a caring person, all of that could be wasted if the affects of the stroke were so devastating. Mark knew that it would kill Jesse if he couldn't be a doctor; he lived for his job it was part of who he was. Mark took Jesse's hand in his, and was shocked when Jesse's panic stricken eyes sprung open. It only took a moment for the fear to be replaced by concern, as Jesse caught sight of his mentor. It took a moment for Mark to understand, then he realised that even in his current dire condition Jesse's first thought was for others, and he had clearly spotted the tear tracks down Mark's face.  
  
"I am fine" Mark told him to clear it up, and although Jesse looked dubious, it was quite hard for him to push the older man any further. Mark was slightly relieved, Jesse seemed more alert, and had no trouble concentrating or focussing, maybe he would get through this okay. Mark's reverie was interrupted by the young man almost choking on the tube again. Jesse turned pleading gaze back to Mark, and summoned all his strength to raise his hand and point at his throat, Mark clearly understood, as he gently pushed Jesse's arm back down to the bed before responding.  
  
"Jesse you have to leave that alone for now. I am not your doctor I can't make the decision to remove it, I am truly sorry but I will ask Dr Scott when she comes round later ok?" he asked, greatly relieved that Jesse was making an effort to communicate and to try to dispel the tube. Just as the words left his mouth, the aforementioned doctor entered the room.  
  
"Hello Jesse" she said cheerfully, pleased with her patient's progress. Jesse gingerly rolled his head slightly towards her. He knew the pretty young woman from her occasional work in the ER. He raised his hand to again point at the uncomfortable tube, the young doctor laughed at his impatience.  
  
"I need to examine you first" she chided him gently. He attempted a smile in response. He liked her, he didn't even know her first name, but her face was so genuinely warm and open, that he couldn't help but like her. Jesse's reverie was interrupted as she shone a flashlight in his eye, and caused great stakes of pain to assault his head. He struggled to free himself from her hands, but she held on unrelenting to complete the examination.  
  
"Jesse I think its time that we removed the vent, okay?" she told him, and the relief was evident on his face. Mark moved over to the other side of the bed and gripped Jesse's hand, and the young patient scrunched his eyes tightly shut, as all three occupants knew that the procedure could be extremely uncomfortable.  
  
"Just breath in nice and deeply for me Jesse" Mark told him unnecessarily, and Jesse complied. As soon as the tube was out Mark placed an oxygen mask tenderly over Jesse's face to aid his struggling lungs to gain some much- needed oxygen. Mark watched his young friend carefully, and was relieved when his eyes drifted shut and he seemed to slowly drop off to sleep as if all the effort had exhausted him.  
  
Jesse closed his eyes, but did not sleep. He was exhausted, but he dreaded the terrors that invaded his rest. His head was pounding and his throat felt as though he had swallowed glass. He knew that he needed to explain to his friends what had been bothering him, but how could he explain something that he couldn't fully understand himself. He knew he should have asked Mark what had happened, but his strength had deserted him. Maybe sleep wasn't such a bad idea was his last thought as he drifted off into a deep slumber.  
  
Some hours later Jesse once again began to wake up. He was in the full throes of a nightmare, and he began to frantically thrash about in his sick bed. He was finally brought back from his horrors by a firm grip on his arm. He slowly opened his eyes, and the light of day assailed his vision. He blinked rapidly to clear the tears forming, and nearly lost his breath when he was taken into a strong hold and found himself almost smothered against Amanda's breast. After the initial shock, he found it soothing, and felt safe for the first time since he could remember, and allowed the comfort to carry him back off in a healing and more peaceful sleep. That was how Steve found his two best friends later that day. Amanda was laying on the bed alongside Jesse, and he was sound asleep. Steve raised his eyebrows questioningly to Amanda.  
  
"It was the only way of getting him asleep" she told him, "He's been having nightmares, he woke up terrified, and it was the only way of getting him to settle down." She explained. Steve looked worried.  
  
"Did he say anything to you?" he asked.  
  
"No he's still very weak, and I didn't think it was right to push him" she answered honestly, "Besides the state he had got himself into I doubt if he could have, I am worried about him" she told the older man.  
  
"I am too" he replied, more worried than he was going to let on. 


	8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight  
  
Sorry it's been a bit longer between updates this time, but what a hectic weekend! I'll be glad to go back to work on Monday for a rest! Anyway keep the reviews coming!  
  
Chapter Eight  
  
It was that night before Jesse woke up again. He opened his eyes and discovered that he was still cradled against Amanda, he moved his head to look at her face, and what he saw brought the first genuine smile to his face. The young woman that he loved as a sister, and was now guarding over him was sound asleep with him in her arms. Jesse sighed enjoying the sensation. His thoughts drifted to his own current condition. He was trying to catalogue his symptoms. He still had the unrelenting headache, was it something to do with that? He tried to cast his mind back to how he had been feeling prior to his collapse. His memory was too hazy, all he could recall was a deep depression settling around him, and a crisis of faith, he struggled to remember but the thought evaded him. It did trouble him, but he felt so safe and loved in Amanda's warm embrace that he couldn't help but drift off into a deep dreamless sleep.  
  
When Amanda woke up she was glad to see that Jesse was still asleep, rest was the best thing for him at the moment. She gently pulled her arm away from under his shoulders, and she was disappointed when her slight movement caused Jesse to stir out of the healing sleep. He raised his hand immediately and pulled the mask away from his face.  
  
"Amanda" he whispered, his voice pathetically weak. Amanda got to her feet and reached for the cup of ice chips beside his bed. She slowly scooped some into his mouth. He nearly choked on them, but they offered some release from the burning in his throat. Just as he swallowed Mark came by to see him. Steve had told his father how he had found his two best friends the previous evening, and Mark smiled at the thought.  
  
"Hi Jess" he greeted his now conscious friend.  
  
"Hey" Jesse replied, shocking his mentor, who had been yet to hear him speak. Mark smiled then carefully placed the oxygen mask over his friend's face.  
  
"You need that for now Jesse, only take it off when absolutely necessary," he reprimanded gently. Jesse rolled his eyes, then stubbornly pulled the mask away from his face once more.  
  
"What.. happened?" he asked, his voice carrying the lethargy he was feeling. Mark sighed, and put the mask back on Jesse's face. He and Amanda were so relieved to hear Jesse speak, that they weren't even overly concerned by the slight stutter.  
  
"You want me to tell you what happened?" Mark asked gently. Jesse nodded in response. Mark paused, unsure of how Jesse would react to what he had to tell him. Mark watched the monitors very carefully, checking for any signs of the young man's agitation.  
  
"Jesse as you know, you collapsed two days ago. That happened, because we discovered you had a blood clot on your brain. It was probably caused by a head trauma. Do you remember hitting your head recently?" the older man asked gently. Jesse closed his eyes and cast his mind back to the few days leading up to his illness. He gasped as the young girl from his nightmare sprung into his mind, and blood everywhere. A man holding him, shouting obscenities at him. Jesse felt a tear run down his face, and Mark also noticed.  
  
"Jesse? Are you okay? What are you remembering?" Mark prompted softly. Jesse swallowed down the fear rising in his chest.  
  
"A little girl...Lucy" he stuttered, Mark clearly didn't understand. "Hit head.on wall, in lounge" Jesse gasped, and saw the full story suddenly dawn on Mark, but the older man didn't continued until Jesse had the oxygen mask firmly back on his face, and his breathing had settled down from the exertion. The memory of the incident was obviously deeply distressing for Jesse, so Mark decided not to dwell on that for the moment, but he made a mental note to return to the topic when Jesse was stronger.  
  
"Do you feel okay for me to continue?" Mark asked his patient, and exchanged a concerned gaze with Amanda, now came the tricky part. At Jesse's nod the older doctor continued. "The blood clot prevented the oxygen from getting to parts of your brain, and Jesse you had a stroke" Mark continued, when he was sure that he still had Jesse's full attention he continued once more. "Dr Scott carried out a procedure called neuroperfusion, it seems to have been successful. It appear that the cerebellum was the affected part" he told the younger man, and tried to gauge his reaction, but there was none. "Jesse, they are going to test for side affects later this week." He told him, and Jesse still didn't bat an eyelid. After a moment of silence Jesse simply nodded, then closed his eyes. Mark sighed, that had not been what he had expected, Jesse was usually so vocal, that his silent acceptance had totally wrong-footed Mark.  
  
"Well, he seemed to take that well" Amanda commented sarcastically. Mark nodded in response, then the two doctors lapsed into silence both lost in their own thoughts.  
  
_____ A stroke, he couldn't have had a stroke, he was only twenty-nine for God sake! Of course being a doctor he knew that it was possible, but it couldn't be happening to him. He knew the consequences of strokes. It could cause paralysis. What if he had no choice but to not be a doctor anymore? What would he do? Then he heard the words of Mr Marshall reverberate through his hazy memory. He winced involuntarily at the cruel, but not untrue words. Maybe it was for the best; maybe he shouldn't be a doctor after all. With that thought Jesse drifted off into a restless sleep.  
  
When Steve went into Jesse's room late that evening he found Jesse lost in a fitful sleep, and his father clutching his hand whilst tenderly stroking his soft blond hair away from his face.  
  
"How's he doing?" Steve asked softly.  
  
"Better, well better physically anyway" Mark told him, and Steve could tell his mind was elsewhere.  
  
"Have you told him then?" he asked, correctly guessing the reason for his father's distraction, at his nod he continued "Didn't go too well then?"  
  
"No I thought he was going to get angry, or upset, but he just nodded, and somehow that cold acceptance was so much worse." Mark told him "I don't know what happened between Jesse and Mr Marshall, but I do know that it was more than Jesse has let on, and I think whatever it was that is the key to whatever is bothering him, and I fully intend to find out what it is" Mark told his son passionately, though his gaze never left Jesse. Steve squeezed his shoulder in support.  
  
"Dad you've been here all day. Why don't you go home for the night, I'll stay here with Jesse. Tomorrow I'll see what I can dig up on this Mr Marshall okay?" Mark reluctantly agreed, then got slowly to his feet.  
  
"Let me know if anything happens?" he told his son, at Steve's nod he continued on his way out. Steve then sat down in the chair just vacated by his father. He took Jesse's hand in his own, just as his father had done, and looked closely at his best friend. He looked so pale, and his face so young and vulnerable in sleep was partly hidden by the oxygen mask. Steve sighed; he knew that the next few weeks were not going to be easy. Jesse had a tendency to bottle things up, and keep his problems very much to himself. He always hid himself behind a sunny façade, and only allowed a select few to penetrate it. Steve was proud to be able to say that he was one of the few, but that wasn't to say that Jesse always spoke to him about his problems, in fact it was anything but. Steve held Jesse's parents mainly responsible for his trouble in showing his emotions, when he was a child love had been in short supply. The young Jesse Travis had everything he could ever want in monetary terms, but affection was seriously lacking. He had had to grow up fast, and be fairly self-sufficient as his father had left him and his mother had been busy forging a successful career as a doctor herself. In truth Steve loathed his friend's parents, not that he would ever tell Jesse that. He sighed again, and reflected that he seemed to be doing that a lot lately. He rubbed his hands over his face, and when he looked back to his friend, he was dismayed, yet pleased to see Jesse's big blue eyes staring back at him. Steve smiled in acknowledgment.  
  
"Hey buddy, sorry if I woke you" he told his friend trying to keep the atmosphere light. Jesse feebly pulled the mask away from his face, wanting to speak to his friend.  
  
"Steve..I want to go home" he told him, and Steve could feel his heart breaking as his friend uttered those few words.  
  
"Jess, you know as a doctor that you can't go home. You nearly died less than a week ago, and you a still have a very long way to go until you will be fighting fit." Steve pleaded with his friend.  
  
"I don't care" was all Jesse said, which rendered Steve speechless, now convinced that his friend had given up his fight. Steve saw the large tears rolling down Jesse's face, he pulled himself up on to the bed, so he was sat alongside the younger man, and soon he too had tears flowing.  
  
"Oh Jess what did he do to you?" Steve asked the desperation evident in his voice, but Jesse was too far-gone to respond, as great sobs that came from deep within him wracked his slight frame. 


	9. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine  
  
Once again thank you for the reviews and please keep the honesty coming. I am trying to write longer chapters now, so that you find out what is going on quicker without me having to rush the telling of the story, so it may be longer between updates.  
  
Chapter Nine.  
  
Mark Sloan was sound asleep in his bed when he was rudely woken up by his son's heavy footfalls. He rose from his bed stifling a yawn, and risking a quick glance at his bedside clock. He sighed, then grabbed his robe, and walked in the direction of the noise. He found his son perched at the dining table leaning intently over a file.  
  
"Jesse?" Mark asked, wondering why his son had returned home.  
  
"Amanda is with him, he did wake up, but he got so agitated that eventually he had to be sedated" Steve told his father. He swore that the vision of his best friend in such mental anguish would haunt him for as long as he lived. His friend was normally so controlled and calm aside from his natural perkiness, to see him like that had shocked him to the core. Mark nodded in acknowledgement; this was pretty much what he had expected.  
  
"What have you got there?" he asked his son pointing at the file.  
  
"Everything I could find on Mr Marshall. I think I may have found something useful" he told his father cryptically.  
  
"Well come on then, what have you found?" Mark asked, as usual impatient for information and keen to start fitting the pieces on the jigsaw together.  
  
"Well, did you read the medical file of Lucy Marshall?" Steve asked, and at Mark's nod he continued, "Did you notice that Jesse had treated her before?"  
  
"No, no I didn't when was this?" Mark asked, kicking himself for not noticing.  
  
"It was three months ago she was admitted with burns to her arm and her body. She was also in six months before that with a broken wrist and a sprained ankle" Steve continued, gauging his father's reaction as he went on.  
  
"My God! Abuse?" Mark asked, Steve nodded sadly.  
  
"It certainly looks that way" he told him gravely "But there's more. Did you notice their address?" he asked, Mark shook his head, then read the file over Steve's shoulder.  
  
"Good god, that's just two apartments down from Jesse!" he gasped, he couldn't understand why his friend hadn't mentioned this before. "Steve where did you get that file?" he asked after a moment.  
  
"Amanda gave it to me, this is a murder investigation after all" he replied. Mark nodded thoughtfully.  
  
"I think we need to speak to Jesse about this" he told his son.  
  
"Do you think he's ready for this now?" Steve asked in concern, he had seen enough of the haunted expression in Jesse's eyes to last him a lifetime, without being the cause of it. "Before we say anything to Jesse, I think we should speak to some of his neighbours, see if we can find out if there is any connection between Jesse and the Marshalls. Something has hit him pretty hard, and we need to find out what" Steve told his father. He was feeling extremely protective towards his friend, and he really didn't want him to be exposed to questioning just yet. Mark nodded thoughtfully.  
  
"Yes and perhaps whilst we are there, we can have a chat with Mr Marshall?" he asked, Steve just chuckled to himself, his father really was incorrigible. The father and son team, jumped into Steve's truck and sped off to their friend's apartment building, new determination set in to get to the bottom of the matter.  
  
Meanwhile Amanda sat away from Jesse, finally catching up on some paperwork. Jesse was still asleep under the effects of the sedative, Amanda sighed, she was having trouble concentrating. Her friend still wasn't out of danger, and his mood was dangerously low. She looked over at him; even in his sleep he didn't look relaxed.  
  
"Oh Jesse, why won't you tell us?" she asked desperately, and was surprised when he answered her in a whisper.  
  
"It's just too hard Amanda" he told her, his voice trembling.  
  
"Jesse, honey. Whatever it is we can help you. We're your friends, you can tell us anything." She prompted, eager for him to tell her. He squeezed his eyes shut, and tears poured out from underneath his strained lids. Amanda moved forward and sat down on the edge of the bed, and clutched his hand in hers. "Jesse, please. We are all so worried about you, and you are so sick, putting extra stress on yourself isn't going to help you, is it?" she pleaded. He shook his head, as his words escaped him. "Now why don't you take a deep breath and tell me all abut it?" Amanda prompted, in her mind crossing her fingers, and hoping that he would. He visibly inhaled several times, trying to gain control over his agitated state.  
  
"It's about that little girl" he told her, not looking her in the eye. "I knew her, well I sort of knew her. She lived with her father a few doors along from me. I don't like him, he didn't treat her right. I had seen her in the hospital a couple of times before last week. I think he may have been abusing her, but I never had anything to prove it, so I couldn't report him. I kept a close eye on them though at home. I even babysat her a few times; she was such a sweet kid. Always so interested in my day and what had been happening at work. She was alone far too much, something I could relate to. He worked shifts and just left her on her own. I still don't know if he was hitting her, but it doesn't really matter now does it?" he asked her bitterly. Amanda remained silent, throughout his monotone. She had had no idea that Jesse had known the girl, yet she was still sure that there was more than that behind his dark moods of late. She didn't push him any further, he would tell her when he was ready, she was just glad that he had opened up that much to her. When he made no move to continue, she just gently stroked his face.  
  
"It's okay Jesse, you can just sleep now if you want to" he smiled weakly at her in response, then closed his eyes and let his demons carry him off to sleep once again. Amanda sighed as she looked at the monitors; Jesse's blood pressure was still far too high, his stress only adding to his condition. His oxygenation levels were still not as high as they should have been which only deepened her concern. She shook her head, if only Jesse knew how deep his friends' love for him went, but he had always felt that he somehow wasn't worth their concern or friendship, which angered Amanda even more, she like Steve knew that his upbringing contributed largely to his lack of self esteem. Even though he was the most talented doctor in the ER, and the majority of the hospital accepted the fact, Jesse didn't even seem to notice. Whilst others admire his dedication and passion for his chosen profession, Jesse could only focus on his shortcomings, it was a fact that frustrated all three of his close friends, but it was also a part of the complex puzzle that was Jesse Travis, the man that all three loved as brother and son respectively, and above all friend.  
  
Steve and Mark had canvassed the entire area and were no closer to getting information on their friend's relationship with his young neighbour.  
  
"But Dad, I really think it's too soon to go to talk to Jesse" Steve pleaded with his father. Steve really didn't think that Jesse was up to in depth questioning from them. He had had to drink three cups of coffee and eat two slices of cake with the elderly lady that lived down the hall from Jesse, and all the information he had got from her had been about what a lovely young man his friend was. He grinned at the thought. He could imagine Jesse's reaction if he told him what the lady had said. He would probably have laughed and made some self-depreciating remark, as he had a remarkable inability to accept a compliment.  
  
"I know he is still sick Steve, but this is eating him up inside, he needs to get it off his chest before he can heal" Mark told him, interrupting his thoughts. Steve had to admit that he could see his father's point, but he still didn't like the idea. The rest of the journey back to the hospital was passed in silence, and both men were lost in their own thoughts.  
  
When the two men entered Jesse's room a short while later, them were slightly concerned when Amanda raised her finger to her lips before ushering them back out again.  
  
"What's the matter?" Mark asked  
  
"Have you found anything out?" she asked them, not answering Mark.  
  
"Only that Jesse is a lovely young man that needs a pretty girl to take care of him" Steve replied sarcastically quoting the old woman. Amanda smiled softly.  
  
"That's true" she replied without hesitation. "Whilst you were out Jesse and I had a little chat. He told me that he knew Lucy Marshall. She lived in the same building, and he used to baby-sit her sometimes. He said that he suspected abuse, but there wasn't enough proof to justify reporting it." Amanda told them, Mark pondered this over for a moment.  
  
"Hmm, that explains some connection then, but is it enough to explain his reaction? I think we should leave the questioning for today, it sounds like he has had enough stress for one day" Mark told them and the others nodded in agreement, Steve sighed in relief. The younger man gestured to the room and hinted that the three should go in, but before they could Dr Scott interrupted them.  
  
"Hello Dr Sloan, Dr Bentley, Detective" she greeted them "I am sorry to interrupt., but I have some of Dr Travis's test results"  
  
"And?" Amanda prompted.  
  
"Well I'm afraid it's not good news, I think you'd better take a seat" she told them gently guiding them back to the doctor's lounge. 


	10. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten  
  
Whoa, a longer delay than anticipated there! Deepest apologies! I have had severe system problems, had to actually go and buy a new PC, but now I am all sorted, and also have managed to get broadband, so hopefully I won't get disconnected every time I try to post a chapter of this story! I have now finished this story, but am going to continue to post it a chapter at a time. Anyway once again sorry, and thank you for all your reviews!  
  
Chapter Ten  
  
The three doctors sat down in the doctor's lounge, but the obviously agitated detective couldn't settle.  
  
"So what's the news?" Steve asked abruptly, and Mark shot his son a warning look. Luckily Dr Scott understood the man's impatience.  
  
"As you are aware we have been monitoring Dr Travis' condition very closely. Well it seems that there is another blood clot, not quite as severe as the initial trauma, but bad enough to cause concern" the young woman replied professionally. Mark rubbed his hands over his tired face, the younger doctor had been through enough, this could kill him.  
  
"What do you suggest?" Amanda asked the other female doctor.  
  
"Well obviously I am loath to try surgery, Jesse is far too weak for that at the moment. I was thinking more along the lines of strong anticoagulants" she told them, and Mark nodded thoughtfully.  
  
"That sounds reasonable to me" he replied after a moment. "Does Jesse know?" he asked her, she shook her head.  
  
"I haven't told him, but that doesn't mean he hasn't worked it out for himself, as you know he is a brilliant doctor" she told him, and Mark blushed with pride for his surrogate son.  
  
"I think I'll go talk to him, just to make sure he knows what is going on" Mark told the group quietly, as he hastily left the room and wandered back to his youngest 'son'. Steve sat in silence lost in thought, he sighed, and his friend never seemed to completely clear each hurdle before encountering the next.  
  
Mark silently let himself into Jesse's room, but he didn't need to worry, as the young doctor was awake anyway, and watching him through bright eyes.  
  
"Hi Jesse, how are you feeling?" Mark asked his protégé.  
  
"Not bad, what's up?" Jesse asked, instantly being able to read the older man's face. Mark shook his head, nothing ever got past Jesse Travis.  
  
"You have got another blood clot I'm afraid Jess" Mark told him. Jesse closed his eyes for a moment, before speaking.  
  
"Mark do you think I am a good doctor?" he spoke quietly, as if he couldn't trust his voice to go any louder. Mark's eyebrows knitted together in confusion.  
  
"What sort of a question is that?" he asked the younger man, and Jesse looked away refusing to meet his friend's eyes. Mark's concern grew, when Jesse didn't reply. "Of course I think you are a good doctor, you are the best I have known. You are compassionate, patient and extremely caring. Now what has brought this on?" Mark saw a tear silently run down Jesse's face. "Jesse please talk to me, this has gone on for long enough"  
  
"Did you read the file?" Jesse whispered after a while.  
  
"What file?" Mark asked in confusion.  
  
"Lucy's" the young man responded, yet it was barely audible. Mark closed his eyes, not liking where this was heading, yet he knew that it had to out in the open, if they were ever going to help Jesse to heal.  
  
"Yes I read the file" Mark responded after a long pause.  
  
"Then you understand" Jesse stated, making eye contact for the first time.  
  
"Oh yes I understand" Mark replied. "I understand that that little girl spent her entire life with a man that couldn't give a damn about her. I understand, that when that little girl could take no more, and she died, that that poor specimen of human life needed someone to blame. I understand that he knew that what he had been doing was wrong, but that he had been unable to stop himself from doing it, so when she finally lost her fight, he picked on the nearest person to blame. And yes Jesse, I understand that that person happens to be you, but I also know that you are the best damn Doctor I have known for years, and whatever that man says, in my eyes you will never be anything less than that, a brilliant doctor and surgeon, the best friend I could ever hope for and my youngest son" Mark continued, his voice getting louder as his speech went on, when he finally paused for breath, he found Jesse staring back at him amazed, and with tears streaming down his face.  
  
"And that goes for me too" said a familiar voice from the doorway. Mark looked up and met his son's eyes, his gratitude obvious. Steve worked forward until he was standing right next to the bed. "Jesse? We have just picked up Mr Marshall, he has been arrested." Jesse looked puzzled by what Steve was saying "For murder" the detective continued. Jesse squeezed his eyes shut, and freely rolled down his pale gaunt face.  
  
"Oh Mark I should have stopped him sooner" he sobbed, as the older doctor pulled his young charge into his arms, for once not caring if the monitors got disconnected for he felt that they had just finally knocked down the barriers and got through Jesse's defences and reached the heart of what was bothering him. Mark gently laid Jesse back down on the bed, as he fell into an exhausted slumber. The two Sloans, took their positions on either side of his bed, and watched as he slept peacefully, and nightmare free.  
  
Round two started a mere two hours later, neither man had expected their friend to wake up again quite so soon.  
  
"Mark?" Jesse asked, hi memory a little hazy.  
  
"Hi Jess, we're both still here" the older man replied, and then Jesse noticed Steve on his other side. He smiled slightly in recognition, it was nowhere near his usual grin, but Steve appreciated the effort.  
  
"Hi bud, you feeling any better?" Steve asked his best friend.  
  
"Tired and achy. My head hurts, but I guess Dr Scott has started the meds right?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, about 90 minutes ago. Should hopefully do the trick" Mark replied nodding, at least Jesse seemed more alert, and calmer this time.  
  
"Mark I wanna go home" he told his friend, desperately.  
  
"Jess, you know you are far too sick to even think about it" Mark replied sternly.  
  
"Please Mark, please get me discharge" Jesse pleaded, he didn't even understand why, but he really wanted to leave.  
  
"Jess, you are gonna be here for at least a month, before they will even look at discharging you, and even then there's no way I am letting you go back to your apartment on your own, you will be staying at the beach house with us" Mark told the young doctor, Jesse rolled his eyes, and instantly regretted it.  
  
"Mark you don't understand. My Mom is coming to stay, please she can't find out about this, I am enough of a disappointment to her, please Mark" Jesse literally begged the other man. His mother had written to him over two months ago to tell him of her visit, and he had deliberately switched his shifts at the hospital about so that she wouldn't be looking over his shoulder whilst he worked, it would be even worse if she were to see him as a patient and find out how he came to be one. A light of understanding finally lit in Mark's mind, Jess had always had a somewhat turbulent relationship with his parents, now Jesse would have had some warning of his mother's pending visit, which Marks would be willing to bet his savings on a correlation of that and Jesse's mood heading downhill. Steve also seemed to come to the same realisation.  
  
"Jesse why don't you want your Mom to visit you when you're sick?" Steve asked. Willing his friend to open up to him. Jesse shut his eyes, as if trying to decide how much to share, finally his resolve seemed to crumble, and all the love, hate and despair seemed to boil over the surface.  
  
"My mom never really wanted me. She wanted her career and a kid just got in the way. Whenever I was sick or hurt myself or whatever, she used to call me a pain and send me away, great from a doctor huh? Anyway when my dad left she got even worse. She just didn't want to know, whenever the other kids fell over or whatever, their mom's used to take care of them, you know clean up their knees and put a band aid on, and then a treat to make them feel better. Well my mom, she used to tell me to be more careful, and give me the band aid to put on myself. When I left home, I think she was relieved, she finally didn't have to worry about me any more" Jesse told his friends, unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice. Mark and Steve exchanged a glance, each willing their friend to continue, they had never managed to get their friend to be so open about his upbringing before, and knew that it explained a lot about the complex puzzle that made up Jesse Travis. Both were interrupted from their reverie, by Jesse continuing. "Anyway from the day I left for college, I have never told her if I have been sick, or hurt or anything" he told them, and the two observers both shook their heads, it was a sad state of affairs when a young man couldn't tell his mother when he was sick for fear of being rejected.  
  
"Did you tell her about Utah?" Steve asked after a while, when he was sure that Jesse was finished.  
  
"Hell no, she'd have had me disowned and committed" Jesse responded. "So now tell what do you think she'd make of it if she came here, and found me waiting for her like this, and to top it all off to find out that the reason I am here, is because I failed a young girl" he told them. Mark sighed deeply.  
  
"Jesse, you did not fail Lucy Marshall, she was beaten and shot by her father, a man that she should have been able to trust and feel safe with. You did everything that you could" he told hi young charge firmly.  
  
"How do you know Mark? You weren't even there?" Jesse argued back, already losing his strength, it was the longest he had held a conversation for since he had come out of the coma, and his energy was quickly fading.  
  
"Because I have read the file, she was lucky to have lasted as long as she did. You tried everything that you possibly could. Sometimes things are just meant to be, fate steps in. It was her time to go, she is probably in a far better place" Mark replied, willing his friend to lay his ghosts to rest. Jesse sighed, and Mark sensed a losing battle, so he decided to go for a low blow "Or don't you think I am a good enough doctor to be able to judge when someone has made the right decisions?2 he asked Jesse, and Steve looked up in shock, before registering what his father was doing. Jesse locked his gaze with Mark.  
  
"Of course you are a good doctor Mark, but you weren't there, so you can't know if the right choices were made" Jesse replied.  
  
"Maybe I wasn't there, but I do know you Jesse, and I do know what a talented doctor you are, and there is no way that you didn't try everything that you could to save that little girl's life" mark replied.  
  
"Jesse cast your mind back to when I was shot, remember how no body thought that I would survive, well you took care of me, you saved me Jesse, I don't think I would be here today if it wasn't for you" Steve cut in, not prepared to let go of his friend, even as Jesse tried to pull away. Jesse grinned slightly, in acknowledgement of his friend's words.  
  
"Thanks guys" Jesse told his friend's "But what about my mom?" he asked desperation again clear in his voice.  
  
"Leave your mom to us Jess" mark replied with a grin.  
  
And that's it for now!!!!! 


	11. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven  
  
When the two visitors were sure that their young charge was peacefully asleep, they began to discuss the recent revelations.  
  
"So Dad, how exactly are we going to sort this one out?" Steve asked his dad quietly.  
  
"Well it's going to be tough, Jesse's mom isn't a fool" Mark pondered out loud. "Steve, are you okay to wait here with Jesse, whilst I go and find Amanda?" he asked a second later.  
  
"Yeah I guess so, but what are you up to dad?" he asked, but Mark just grinned over his shoulder as he walked out of the room. Steve shook his head; it always made him nervous when his father got that look in his eye. He chuckled to himself; whatever he was up to Jesse's mom didn't stand a chance, not when she was messing with one of Mark's boys.  
  
Steve was still pondering on his father's plan when he was disturbed by Jesse calling to him.  
  
"Steve, where's Mark?" Jesse asked when he had got the older man's attention.  
  
"He's just gone to speak to Amanda" Steve replied, deliberately not elaborating.  
  
"Do ya know what he's gonna do about my mom?" Jesse asked.  
  
"No, to be honest I have no idea, and I'm not sure if I wanna know" Steve replied, Jesse grinned weakly in response. Steve turned back to look at his friend and was concerned when he saw blood streaming from Jesse's nose.  
  
"Jess your nose is bleeding" he told his friend and was amazed by how calm he sounded.  
  
"Just get some tissue or something, its cos of the drugs" Jesse responded, seemingly unconcerned. Steve did as the doctor requested and held the tissue against his friend's nose.  
  
"Should I go and get Dr Scott?" he asked. Jesse shook his head.  
  
"See if the bleeding stops first" he responded nasally. Steve sat there for five minutes, and the bleeding hadn't even slowed down.  
  
"Right that's it Jess, I'm gonna go and get some help, before ya bleed to death" Steve told his friend, hoping that he was joking. Jesse just nodded; resigned to the fact that he was gonna need some help. Luckily just as Steve opened the door the young female doctor was just about to enter for her morning check on her patient.  
  
"Thank god you are here." Steve greeted her  
  
"What's up?" she asked the detective "Never mind I see" she continued whilst walking over to her patient. She gently pulled the blood-soaked tissue away from his face. "How long has it been bleeding?" she asked.  
  
"About five minutes" Steve replied for Jesse.  
  
"I think we are going to need to reduce the dose of the anti-coagulants" she told her patient. Jesse nodded he understood that it was the medication that was making his nose bleed.  
  
"Why? What's going on?" Steve asked, unable to hide his concern. Jesse just rolled his eyes, knowing that his friend was over-reacting, but he could understand why. He knew that his friend hadn't had the medical training, other than the snippets he had picked up from his father, so he didn't understand that the heavy bleeding from his nose was no real need for concern.  
  
"Detective, calm down. It is nothing to worry about. The bleeding is simply a result of the medication that Dr Travis is currently on. It seems that the dose maybe too strong at the moment, so all we need do is to lower the dosage and hope that this doesn't happen again" she told him, trying to calm him. She was concerned that he was going to agitate her patient, but when she looked back at Jesse, he looked fine, just understanding at Steve thirst for knowledge. Steve looked slightly embarrassed at his over- reaction, so Dr Scott was quick to console him "Honestly detective, there is no need to look so embarrassed, it is good to see that you care so deeply for Dr Travis" she told him and gently squeezed his arm as she walked past out of the room. 


	12. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve  
  
Sorry for the length of the last chapter not all of what I intended to post actually got posted, sorry!!!  
  
Chapter Twelve  
  
"So it's his mother's visit that has got him into this state?" Amanda asked incredulously. Mark nodded his head sadly. He had explained the whole story to his pretty female colleague "That is so sad, that someone could be that distant with their own flesh and blood. I mean Jesse is so warm and caring towards other people it makes you wonder how he grew up to be so normal"  
  
"I know" Mark responded in total agreement with his friend "But have you noticed how shy of accepting help our young friend is? I mean when it comes to helping others you can't get in his way, but yet if he ever needs help, it seems he would rather battle on alone rather than admit that he can't handle it by himself" Amanda nodded thoughtfully.  
  
"You're right Mark, I think that we need to do something about that when all this is over" she told him thoughtfully "so what exactly are you thinking about doing with the mother situation?" she asked, not totally sure that she wanted to hear his answer, her thoughts were confirmed when Mark's face lit up into a mischievous grin.  
  
"Well I think that she should see Jesse" he replied.  
  
"What? Jesse is never going to agree to that. He won't want to see her in his current condition" Amanda responded, shocked at Mark's way of thinking.  
  
"I know. What if he doesn't see her in his current condition?"  
  
"You lost me now Mark. Jesse is less than a week out of brain surgery, how the hell are we going to carry that one off. I mean she is meant to be staying isn't she? It's not just a day visit?" Amanda questioned her friend, alarmed at what he was suggesting.  
  
"She is meant to be staying for a week I believe, and you're right we can't fool her for a week, she is a doctor herself after all"  
  
"Then what are ya gonna do?" Amanda asked again, still not understanding Mark's plan.  
  
"Well here's what I thought we could do.." Mark explained his plan to her, and she nodded her head in agreement.  
  
"Ya know what Dr Sloan that might just work!"  
  
"Steve sorry if I scared ya" Jesse told his friend, once Dr Scott had left his room.  
  
"Don't be silly. You were hardly in a fit state to alleviate my concerns at the time were ya?" Steve told his friend in response "Besides what's worrying me more is what my dad has planned for your mother" he continued, just as his father walked through the door.  
  
"Jesse, how're you doing?" he asked.  
  
"Have you thought of a plan yet?" the young doctor questioned, not answering his mentor.  
  
"Yes we do, but first I need some details from you Jess, if you feel up to it?"  
  
"Sure go ahead" the younger man responded, eager to find out the solution to his problem as quickly as possible.  
  
"I just need your mother's flight details, how long she is intending to stay that sort of thing" he told him. Jesse closed his eyes in concentration for a moment, before reeling off all the information to Mark.  
  
"What exactly are you going to do?" he asked.  
  
"I am going to make you have a miraculous recovery" Mark responded with a worryingly bright grin Jesse noticed. 


End file.
